Pleasure's flown from Albion's Shore,
Wit and Mirth's bright Reign is o're,
Strephon and music are no more!
Since Nature thus pays Tribute to his Urn,
How should a sad, forsaken Brother mourn!"
Daniel Purcell was appointed organist of St. Andrew, Holborn, in 1713, and retained the position until his death in 1717. Sir John Hawkins in his History,[65] says:—
"The occasion of Daniel Purcell's coming to London was as follows:—Dr. Sacheverell, who had been a friend of his brother Henry, having been presented to the living of St. Andrew, Holborn, found an organ in the church of Harris's building, which having never been paid for, had from the time of its erection, in 1699, been shut up. The Doctor upon his coming to the living, by a collection from the parishioners, raised money to pay for it; but the title to the place of organist was litigated, the right of election being in question between the rector, the vestry, and the parish at large. Nevertheless he invited Daniel Purcell to London, and he accepted it; but in February, 1717, the vestry, which in that parish is a select one, thought proper to elect Mr. Maurice Greene, afterwards Dr. Greene, in preference to Purcell, who submitted to stand as a candidate. In the year following Greene was made organist of St. Paul's, and Daniel Purcell being then dead, his nephew Edward was a candidate for the place; but it was conferred on Mr. John Isum, who died in June, 1726."
That Hawkins has made a series of mistakes in the above statement, is clear from the following advertisement, which appeared in the Daily Courant, December 12, 1717:—
"Whereas Edward Purcell, only son to the Famous Mr. Henry Purcell, stands candidate for the Organist's place of St. Andrew, Holborn, in the room of his uncle Mr. Daniel Purcell, deceased,—This is to give notice, that the place is to be decided by a general Poll of Housekeepers of the said Parish, whom he humbly hopes, notwithstanding the false and malicious reports of his being a Papist, will be assistant to him in obtaining the said place.
"N.B.—The election will begin upon Tuesday the 17th, at nine in the morning, and continue till Friday following, to four in the afternoon."
This shows that Daniel vacated his organistship by death. Unfortunately the parish book which might tell us the result of the election by the householders cannot be found; but it evidently was not permitted to be a final decision, for on the 17th of the ensuing February, 1718, a Vestry was held, of which the following is a minute:—[66]